Some unique sea creatures will find homes throughout the Golden Isles this summer. A manatee, a pelican, a blue heron, a shrimp, and a Right whale will become part of Keep Golden Isles Beautiful’s campaign to tackle litter in a creative manner that highlights the effects that trash has on the environment. Five metal mesh marine life sculptures with a hollow internal space for trash storage will be installed in different community public spaces with one installation each day. Originally scheduled for June, these installations have been delayed, but they'll be coming soon. KGIB teamed up with Golden Isles Arts & Humanities Association, the City of Brunswick, Glynn County, and the Golden Isles Convention & Visitors Bureau to combine litter prevention and public art access in this innovative attempt to engage the community.
“The concept is simple,” said KGIB executive director Lea King-Badyna. “CLEAN. Volunteers participate in community cleanups. CREATE. Participants fill the sculptures with the collected litter. CELEBRATE. Community members gather to share their efforts and celebrate the sculpture installations that represent a clean and green community.”
In 2015, KGIB volunteers recovered 65.6 tons of litter and 60.7 tons of recyclables from area roadways, waterways, marshes and public spaces. Now the emphasis turns to prevention. “Coastal Litter Prevention Program” sculpture project was made possible to KGIB under a grant award to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources from the Office for Coastal Management, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, while the “Make Art Not Litter” sculpture project was made possible by a grant from the Communities of Coastal Georgia Foundation.
“The Communities of Coastal Georgia Foundation is delighted to have partnered with KGIB to support this innovative project. For Coastal Georgia, our environment and natural resources are precious and deserving of our utmost respect. ‘Make Art Not Litter’ is a great way to engage both our community and our visitors in the important work of stopping litter before it starts,” said Dr. Valerie Hepburn, President & CEO, Communities of Coastal Georgia Foundation.
The following installations will take place on dates to be announced when we learn of them: manatee at Overlook Park; pelican at Mary Ross Park; blue heron at North Glynn Recreation Complex; shrimp at Blythe Island Regional Park; Right whale at old Coast Guard Station beach access. On each installation day, litter cleanups will be conducted in the area at 3:30 p.m., with collected aluminum and hard plastics inserted into the sculpture at 4:00 p.m. installations. Community involvement, including family and youth group participation, for the clean up and installations is encouraged and welcomed.
“This community art and environmental education project will serve as cultural destination points for local residents and tourists alike,” said King-Badyna. “We hope the custom sculptures will spark dialogue and encourage stewardship regarding litter and our valuable coastal resources.”
Educational interpretative signage will accompany each sculpture and there will be a geocaching component to encourage visiting all five sculptures. For more information and participant registration, contact KGIB at info.kbgib@gmail.com or 912.279.1490.
